Burnout: Revenge

Posted: 03/23/06

The racing series that pushed the limits of the PS2 and XBox races onto the 360, as Criterion and Electronic Arts take Burnout: Revenge to the next generation. The newest version isn't radically different from the original, but it's got a handful of improvements that have always made Burnout one of the most satisfying titles on any system.

The main thing that Criterion focused on when bringing Burnout to the 360 was taking full advantage of the new XBox Live. The multiplayer modes cater to the games namesake by encouraging you to seek revenge on whoever takes you out online. What you do to others, and what they do to you is all saved in your online profile so you'll know who you're racing against, and which cars you're going to want to look out for.

While Burnout: Revenge does an impressive job of following this premise, live gameplay isn't drastically different from the single player. The courses, objectives, and shortcuts are all the same in both modes, and the aggressive AI Burnout is known for can sometimes make driving against a person or computer one in the same. So while at first glance it feels like the 360 is giving you a new way to play, after a while it starts feeling like the same old Burnout.

Burnout: Revenge was a beautiful game to begin with, so while the XBox 360 version definitely has better graphics, you may not notice them if you haven't played the PS2 or XBox versions a great deal. And compared to other four-wheel 360 titles like PGR3 and Need For Speed, they don't offer much on the next-gen racing scene we haven't experienced before.

The replays, along with being more gratifying visually, are more user-friendly to customize and control. The previous version of Burnout included the ability to save your replay to a memory card and share it with your friends; a clever idea but one that never caught on in a big way.

On the 360 this feature is now online which streamlines the process and gives you a wide selection of other player's memorable moments. Of course, none of this matters if saving your replays is not something your into. And the races and crashes might provide enough carnage for you to just skip this feature.

When analyzing the ports and upgrades the 360 has seen since its launch, from Quake IV to Fight Night, you have to look closely at what you can get with the new version that you couldn't in the previous generation. The new Burnout: Revenge has made improvements in all areas, with a great deal of attention paid to updating the online multiplayer. But anyone who already has a copy of Revenge for the PS2 or XBox, won't be getting enough to justify buying another for the 360.

Publishers/DevelopersIf you have questions about the site or a piece of media that you would like included on gametrailers.com, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email at: trailers@gametrailers.com

GamersAny issues with the site? Are there broken links? Is there a trailer you are looking for that you can't find? Do you want to heap praise upon us? Send us an email at: webmaster@gametrailers.com